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Commission approves Nova Life RV Park land-use change for 15-acre site near Lake Okeechobee
Summary
The Planning Commission approved a future land use amendment to allow a privately proposed Nova Life RV Park to change from High Residential (8 units/acre) to Commercial Recreation with underlying HR-8; staff set conditions limiting uses and trips and the motion passed with one recorded nay.
The Palm Beach County Planning Commission approved a privately initiated future land use amendment to allow an approximately 14.99-acre site near Lake Okeechobee to change from High Residential (8 units per acre) to Commercial Recreation (CR) with an underlying HR-8 designation, clearing the way for an RV park proposed by Nova Life.
Kevin McGinley, representing the applicant, said the site sits adjacent to the Rim Canal and Paul Rardon Park and is intended to serve seasonal RV users who travel in winter months. Sarah Bishop of the county planning division recommended approval with conditions designed to ensure compatibility and to meet long-range traffic standards in Policy 3.5.d.
Bishop told commissioners that, if the site is rezoned to the CRE zoning district after adoption, the Unified Land Development Code would allow a maximum of 89 RV spaces (about six sites per acre). She said staff's recommended conditions would limit allowable uses to recreational vehicle spaces, campsites, accessory dwelling units and other uses allowed within the CR future land use, and would cap maximum trips to meet Policy 3.5.d long-range standards.
"Sites with existing recreational uses were assigned the CR future land use at the adoption of the plan," Bishop said, describing the county's existing approach to CR designations and noting that the applicant agreed to the recommended conditions of approval.
Commissioners asked technical and operational questions. Commissioner Kara Farris asked whether sewer connection would be required; staff answered yes. Commissioners asked about amenities; the applicant said typical on-site facilities are expected to include a clubhouse, general store, showers and wash-down areas, and that no swimming pool was proposed. Steven Baysour asked about the project timeline; the applicant said because zoning and detailed entitlements follow the land-use change, an opening would likely be a couple of years away.
Commissioner Selena Samuels asked whether the park would be managed by a private company. The applicant said Nova Life LLC would be the contract purchaser and operator and that the company uses national teams of engineers and managers for development and operation. Commissioners also confirmed the ULDC allows some tent camping and that the county's standard limits consecutive stays to 30 days for comparable accommodations.
A motion to approve staff's recommendation passed with one recorded no vote; Denise Williams seconded the motion. Staff noted the change does not itself rezone the property; a separate rezoning application will be required to obtain CRE zoning and to finalize site-level standards and the exact number of RV spaces.
Bishop and the applicant said they would return with zoning-level plans and that conditions of the FLU amendment require the trip cap and limits on allowable uses to preserve compatibility with adjacent recreational lands, including Paul Rardon Park.
